payment methods: bank transfer?

[ChrisN]

Bank transfer is the standard way to send funds and pay for auction items in Japan. Most people have never even heard of PayPal here.

In Australia also. Locally we call this "direct deposit", and it is most commonly executed via on-line banking that allows me to transfer the money direct to the seller's bank account - I just need their account name, account number and the BSB number that identifies their bank or financial institution. Very secure, little or no fees and no chargebacks.

When ebay.com.au tried to make Paypal the only option for payments, the Australian regulatory authorities fought them, and we retain the option of making payments via this mechanism.

 

[mfunnell]

When ebay.com.au tried to make Paypal the only option for payments, the Australian regulatory authorities fought them, and we retain the option of making payments via this mechanism.

That was valuable, and fine as far as it goes. However, ebay.com.au does insist that Paypal be offered as an option and insists that if a buyer wants to use it then the seller must accept it.

Which leads back to the seller having no protection. You would think that this creates a nice spot for a trusted third party to mitigate the risk for both buyer and seller - but neither eBay nor Paypal seem interested in doing this. I'm guessing that's because that's not profitable (enough) for them. I think that is one of the things driving the trend I see towards eBay being more and more a playground for scammers and price-gougers and less useful or popular for "real" buyers and sellers.

I see very few good items of the kind readily available a couple of years ago, and with one exception (where I picked up in person and paid cash) I've not bought anything over $50 in quite some time - and even those have mostly been cash-in-person.

...Mike

 

[nksyoon]

Regarding choice of shipper, my personal experience in Switzerland shows me that using the state postal service is usually the cheapest, especially for the receiver (me) as courier companies charge higher customs processing fees than the post office. So I usually ask US sellers to use USPS.

 

[thinkfloyd]

very informative thread, i just sold via the bay over $2000 worth of equipment. however, the buyer has me doubting. first he or she has no feedback whatsoever to speak of, second he only joined ebay the date he or she made the final bid (used the buy it now option), and third, the ebay id is of dubious nature since it has a name with several numbers after it (pretty much like those used in spam mail). i was fretting over what to do till i read this thread. i will kindly ask the buyer to wire transfer to my bank his payment because of the above issues. if he or she refuses, it's ok, as long as i have peace of mind...

(sorry for the use of all small caps. my shift and caps lock key are acting up)

@chippy: really? oftheherd ran off with your money/stuff? i always see him here and i, myself, would not hesitate dealing with him knowing that he is a somewhat respectable member here... all my transactions here (buying,selling and trading) have been positive experiences, making me love rff more (thanks hans voralberg, david murphy, karefin, mihai and aldobonnard for keeping my faith in rff members).

 

[historicist]

a name with numbers after it is pretty common on ebay, my ebay username is my name with numbers in front of it 😉

I fairly recently had an ebay transaction in which the buyer seemed very dubious (wanted me to send COD, pay by paypal despite it being stated in the auction i would not, etc. etc.), I got paranoid and refused to give him my bank details for him to make a bank transfer, in the end he phoned up my ebay to get the necessary details - which was seriously underhand - and made the transfer regardless, I sent the item (which was very valuable), he received it, no problems. I guess mistrust can cut both ways.

 

[thinkfloyd]

@historicist: really? it's common? well then, 2 out of three left to resolve 🙂

 

[chippy]

@chippy: really? oftheherd ran off with your money/stuff? i always see him here and i, myself, would not hesitate dealing with him knowing that he is a somewhat respectable member here... all my transactions here (buying,selling and trading) have been positive experiences, making me love rff more (thanks hans voralberg, david murphy, karefin, mihai and aldobonnard for keeping my faith in rff members).

yep sure did, i always thought he was a top bloke as well, you never can tell though can ya, he hasnt been here since, not under that name!

 

[historicist]

yup, the numbers at least... can't help you with the judgement call on the other questions though...

 

[thinkfloyd]

@chippy: that sucks... number of posts and years here doth not an honest person make. shame how one member can ruin the trust factor for a whole community...

@historicist: yeah, i just emailed the buyer kindly requesting payment be made via bank transfer. i said his lack of feedback and immediate join date was a concern and hopes he understand my position. i also said that having 100% positive feedback on my side, i intend to keep it that way and i hope he considers my position.

 

[user237428934]

Interesting Information. Paypal seems to work differently in some countries. In Germany you have "Buyer protection" when you buy on ebay only. When you just transfer money via paypal to someone and you hit the "send money" button, the money is on the destination account. If you don't get the item or you just made a mistake with the account number Paypal won't help you to get your money back. They behave just like a every normal bank there.

There was the quistion if bank to bank money transfer is safe. In which way? That money gets lost? Money is not like luggage that gets lost on an airport. Money does not get lost on a bank transfer.

 

[aureliaaurita]

we aren't charged anything to wire money in the uk as far as i know

to make large deposits yes but when i say large i mean LARGE

considering we paid £18 to deposit half a million pounds (when i say we i mean my company) and have it returend to another account I do think a £25 is excessive!

wiring money abroad you should use urg I forget but it's a £5 flat fee

with paypal you have buyer protection though

I don't like doing wire transfers with people I don't know for that reason only.

 

[Oscar Levant]

You would be insane to accept PayPal from this "buyer". 100% positive you will lose your money and item.

PS: He is simply a fraud. Stop communicating with him. You are wasting your time.

very informative thread, i just sold via the bay over $2000 worth of equipment. however, the buyer has me doubting. first he or she has no feedback whatsoever to speak of, second he only joined ebay the date he or she made the final bid (used the buy it now option), and third, the ebay id is of dubious nature since it has a name with several numbers after it (pretty much like those used in spam mail). i was fretting over what to do till i read this thread. i will kindly ask the buyer to wire transfer to my bank his payment because of the above issues. if he or she refuses, it's ok, as long as i have peace of mind...

(sorry for the use of all small caps. my shift and caps lock key are acting up)

@chippy: really? oftheherd ran off with your money/stuff? i always see him here and i, myself, would not hesitate dealing with him knowing that he is a somewhat respectable member here... all my transactions here (buying,selling and trading) have been positive experiences, making me love rff more (thanks hans voralberg, david murphy, karefin, mihai and aldobonnard for keeping my faith in rff members).

 

[Oscar Levant]

This is impossible. eBay would not give anyone your bank details over the phone to send a wire. You are confused.

a name with numbers after it is pretty common on ebay, my ebay username is my name with numbers in front of it 😉

I fairly recently had an ebay transaction in which the buyer seemed very dubious (wanted me to send COD, pay by paypal despite it being stated in the auction i would not, etc. etc.), I got paranoid and refused to give him my bank details for him to make a bank transfer, in the end he phoned up my ebay to get the necessary details - which was seriously underhand - and made the transfer regardless, I sent the item (which was very valuable), he received it, no problems. I guess mistrust can cut both ways.

 

[chippy]

@chippy: that sucks... number of posts and years here doth not an honest person make. shame how one member can ruin the trust factor for a whole community...

sure does suck! just the way it is i guess, to think he was an active member since 2003 with near 3000 posts, and in PM professed to have strong christian values, i guess a few dollars undermines that integrity with some people...so if anyone in the US does know him or would like to contact or give him a call on my behalf i would appreciate it...small satisfaction at least

overall though the positives usually outway the negative dealings on RFF, to head my list of neg dealings would be oftherherd, then to a non comparable result would be Billxxxx (no need to point him out) whom was going to send me some toners for b&w prints but never did, was on the give away thread yonks ago so perhaps it worked out too much of a bother for him, no problem, also non money related but it was disappointing that an aussie bloke didnt help me after assuring me he would, with help in chasing (contacting) up a crook in sydney that still owes me money and gear, not something we expect from a fellow aussie, come to think of it he also said he would send me some darkroom gear, oh well. On the other hand i have had a number of people that have done exactly as they promise, cant remember all their names but they arnt always outspoken christians lol, or even agree with me on the forum haha, heck fallisphoto doesnt always! but has proved to be someone with character and integrity as far as i can tell so far (he will miss this post so i can get away with a compliment haha), some others as well, simon from the UK just the other day sent me some gear, very decent fellow

such is life

 

[Oscar Levant]

I found your friend Norris easily here:

http://www.anywho.com/

 

[historicist]

This is impossible. eBay would not give anyone your bank details over the phone to send a wire. You are confused.

In Germany you can register your bank details and they are passed on to the auction winner so they can make the payment.

In this case the buyer was living in Austria, and apparently needed my address to make the transfer. Because he was acting so suspiciously (no feedback, address according to ebay in a different country to the shipping address, etc. etc.) I got paranoid and refused to give him my address.

He contacted ebay and they gave him my address.

 

[Keith]

I'm on the other side of the fence here ... I spotted a Hasselblad 80mm CF lens in the p.net classifieds the other day for $300.00 which is pretty reasonable for a lens that appears to be nearly mint. The American seller is prepared to send it to OZ but will only accept a bank transfer for payment and has been a little difficult to deal with to be honest with very abrupt responses to my emails ... no nice feelings from the deal at all!

I checked their history at peanut and they've only just joined ... to sell the lens obviously! To transfer the money to their account in the USA I have to drive to my bank and fill out forms of course and can't do this until monday morning ... the email I received last night with their bank details sort of insisted I do the transfer today if possible which I couldn't due to work commitments.

So what happens if this is a scam and after transfering the $325.00 to their account I don't get my lens and never hear from them again ... what recourse is there in a case like that?

 

[chippy]

I found your friend Norris easily here:

http://www.anywho.com/

thanks Oscar for the link, it looks a useful utility, but i could not find the details there corresponding to this address(below)? it gave different addresses

Norris H. Price
13705 Greenwood Dr.
Woodbridge, VA 22193

i doesn't make a lot of sense to me, though the address should be correct as i sent him a Christmas card and he acknowledged receiving it, not to mention some gear



i should add, i actually thought the poor bugger had died or was ill or something, i had such high regard for him, but through other sources i found he is still around...alive and kicking it seems

 

[Oscar Levant]

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22norris+h.+Price%22+22193&hl=en&safe=off&num=50&newwindow=1&pb=r&ei=aaxySuXFJZOuMKmvkLEM&sa=X&oi=rwp&ct=title

http://www.realtor.com/property-detail/13677-Greenwood-Dr_Woodbridge_VA_22193_7fa72b01

File a police report. Call your local Australian police, see if you can informally get them to contact Virginia police on your behalf. Police to Police will get better results than you doing it yourself.

If this guy even gets a call from the Police, it may scare him into refunding you. You might get someone to be the "Australian Police" on the phone for you.


You could also pay a small fee for lots more info:

http://www.intelius.com/search-summ...&qmi=h&qn=Price&qs=VA&trackit=74&focusfirst=1

.

 

[chippy]

well thanks again Oscar, at least from that i got a phone number, which i just called, i have no doubt i reached the correct people (after exchanging emails, certain clues are evident-not to mention the address). but he denied having any association with his name or RFF...OMG, what a crook....on to the next level i suppose